British jet airliners, eh?
Comet: The first jet airliner and therefore paid the price for venturing into then-uncharted aeronautical waters.
Trident: emasculated on BEA's insistence, losing the chance of the Medway engine and with it any chance of a significant market outside BEA.
VC10: magnificent aeroplane but built to meet a BOAC 'hot, high, short field' spec that went away when the Empire airfields were extended for the Boeings. Therefore not really worth re-engining with fan engines later in its life.
146 / RJX: Poor choice of 4 engines which should have been corrected for the RJX when suitable engines were available to make it a twin.
1/11: Great airframe. Probably the only one that could have gone on to greater things with updated engines and systems.
Of the turboprops only the Viscount seems to have been a real success, though the 748 did OK. But the latter faced a problem; it was designed as a DC3 replacement, but the airlines in out of the way places operating DC3s couldn't afford new aeroplanes!
The Vanguard was too late, but not as late as the Britannia. If Bristol had got their fingers out sorting its problems instead of taking 3 hour lunch breaks they could have taken the trans Atlantic prop market before the jets took over.
A sad history of often (not always!) brilliant designs, but not much else that's needed to seriously pursue a world market.
My take on it, anyway.
Last edited by Shaggy Sheep Driver; 26th Nov 2013 at 20:45.